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Terry Antonis will return to Western Sydney for the next A-League season.

Antonis is back in red and black

NATHAN TAYLOR

After several years abroad “learning about himself”, the Western Sydney Wanderers are welcoming back Terry Antonis for the 2021/22 A-League season and beyond.

Antonis joins from K-League club Suwon Samsung Bluewings, who he joined from Melbourne Victory in 2019, going on to win the Korean FA Cup in his first season at the club.

A familiar face to the Wanderers faithful, Antonis played in the Red and Black during the 2016/17 season including the club’s third AFC Champions League campaign and in the A-League Finals Series.

The 27-year-old midfielder will join the Wanderers from Korea in the coming weeks with his wife and young daughter to link up with his teammates for pre-season training.

Antonis said he was excited to be coming home to western Sydney and continuing to grow as a footballer.

“I’m 27 now, this is an important moment for me, I’ve learned a lot about myself on and off the field, I want to keep learning every day, so to be able to put that into training and into games,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed my time in Korea for the past couple of years, it was good to be at a big club in Korea but I am looking forward to coming home.

“Obviously being from the west it is very exciting to be coming home, I spoke to the coach (Carl Robinson) and I spoke to JT (CEO John Tsatsimas) and I want to win things with the Wanderers, I want to give all I can for the club and help us get to the Finals.”

While it has been some time since Antonis has been in Australia due to travel restrictions, he said he looked forward to coming home to see his family again.

“It’s been two years since I was last in Sydney,” Antonis said.

“To see my brother (George Antonis) is now in the U20s squad at the Wanderers Academy is brilliant, it would be awesome to one day play on the same pitch together. If he can make the same steps I did, I hope it can happen one day and I can’t wait to see him and my family again coming home to Sydney.”

Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas said it was fantastic to welcome home another son of western Sydney to the club.

“Welcoming Terry back to the club is fantastic, it brings home another western Sydney footballer to play in front of family and friends and is very important to what we are continuing to build at this club,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Wanderers have also added defender Johnny Koutroumbis to next season’s roster. The 23-year-old joins Western Sydney on a two-deal deal after spending five seasons at Newcastle.

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Finals beckon for our Giants

NATHAN TAYLOR

Giants Netball’s path to the minor premiership has been decided, with the competition leaders finally learning when they’ll play the remaining rounds of the Super Netball competition.

With no matches being completed last weekend due to teams having to shift to a new Queensland hub, mid-week matches are the highlight of the revised fixture, which officially got underway on Tuesday.

Following a six-day break after their Round 12 match against Melbourne on Wednesday, the Giants will next take on the Sunshine Coast Lightning this Tuesday, August 3 at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

The Giants will then close out the home and away season when they meet the West Coast Fever for the second time, with the match to be played at University of Sunshine Coast on Saturday, August 7 at 2.30pm.

The remaining Giants matches will be broadcast live on free to air TV on either 9GEM or Channel Nine, meaning local fans in lockdown will not miss a second of the action.

The league also confirmed dates for the 2021 Super Netball Finals Series, with semi-finals to be played back to back on Saturday, August 14.

The Preliminary Final will be contested on Saturday, August 21 before the Grand Final on Saturday, August 28.

The league is working through venues for the Finals Series, which will be held in Queensland.

“We have worked closely with all eight teams, as well as broadcasters and other partners, to lock in the fixture for the remaining three rounds of the home and away season,” Netball Australia CEO, Kelly Ryan said.

“There is no doubt it has been challenging, but we continue to adapt under the circumstances.

“I’d like to thank our teams, staff, umpires and stakeholders, including broadcasters, for their sacrifice and determination.”

When the Weekender went to print on Wednesday afternoon, the Giants were midway through their match against the last-placed Vixens in Brisbane.

The Super Netball competition has set up camp in Queensland.

Chance to race

New program aims to find future stars of RC racing

NATHAN TAYLOR

Coming up on its 20th year, Penrith District Nitro Racing (PDNR) has produced some of Australia’s most talented RC drivers, and a local disability service provider hopes to emulate their success by winning an Australian title.

While the cars may be small, the industry is not.

RC racing is slightly more intense than the toy RC cars you get from your local Kmart store. An industry that employs over 1,000 people Australia-wide, each year there are tens of thousands competing for fun, while others will go as far as the world titles.

Prior to the pandemic, this year’s IFMAR World Titles were scheduled to be held in Brisbane for the 44th year of running. It’s an event that draws over 300 of the world’s best drivers, and 1000 people with teams, officials, media, pit crew, and spectators.

While not aiming for a world title just yet, Live and Learn Disability Group is hoping to create some future stars of the sport with a new program designed to take participants to the sport’s highest level.

Having been involved in motorsport his whole life, Live and Learn Disability Director, Rob Vide, knows what it takes to get to the very top.

“If you look at every sport, no one got to the number one spot without an immense amount of dedication. Without living and breathing their chosen sport, there is no Ash Barty, Daniel Riccardo, Tim Tszyu or Dawn Fraser,” he said.

“With that in mind, we’ve created a program for the people we support that will help them achieve the pinnacle of this sport. Drivers will be supported to race at PDNR weekly, with hours of testing, training, and car prep work also every week – the goal is to give an aspiring participant everything necessary to realise this goal.”

In the newly launched program, Live and Learn Disability will provide eager racers with the RC race car, tools, parts, a team manager, all support, and regular driver training from current RC champions.

To apply for the Live and Learn Race team, contact the team through their website livelearngroup.com.au or call 4708 8597 to find out the requirements for the program.

Fox has had a long rivalry with Gold medallist Funk for many years, often sharing the podium together at paddling events all around the world.

Fox said while there is a fierce competitiveness between them, their friendship is even stronger.

“There is a rivalry but we’re friends first and foremost, and I think we’re in a sport where we encourage and support and celebrate all the good runs that happen and that’s what makes us better as well, that rivalry,” she said.

“I’m so pleased for her (Funk), she made me emotional as well because her coach passed away at the Rio Olympic Games, so for her to be here and stand on top of the podium is very special for her.”

Following the race, pictures showed Fox being consoled by her mum Myriam Fox, who is also her long-time paddling coach.

“Mum’s the one that said to me ‘Jess, I’m still so proud of you, you’ve won a medal, it’s so special’,” Fox said.

On Thursday afternoon, Fox was set to compete in the Women’s Canoe event.

Th e Penrith District Nitro Racing Club has been racing for two decades.

FOX ADDS TO MEDAL TALLY

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Around The Games

The Olympic Games have been underway this past week with plenty of Aussies making us proud with some unbelievably inspiring performances. So how are own local Olympians fairing in Tokyo? Find out below…

CYCLING: Competing in her third Olympics, Penrith Cycling Club star Amanda Spratt received a DNF (Did Not Finish) racing in the Women’s Road Race event last Sunday afternoon. The Penrith-born cyclist was one of 19 cyclists who were unable to complete the gruelling 147km Fuji International Speedway course in hot and humid conditions.

SOFTBALL: Penrith City Softball Association member Taylah Tsitsikronis has failed to win a medal at her first Olympic Games. Tsitsikronis and her Aussie Spirit team had a disappointing Olympics, winning just one out of five games to finish outside of the medals. Perhaps Australia’s biggest Achilles heel was their attack, scoring just five runs in five games. The lone game they won against Italy, they prevailed 1-0 with our very own Tsitsikronis scoring the winning run. This is the first time in Olympic Games history that the Australian Softball Team have failed to medal. The 20-year-old played just under six minutes in the 17-point win, collecting two offensive rebounds in the process. Green enjoyed some more game time against Italy on Wednesday night and will no doubt feature in Australia’s next game against Germany this Saturday.

FOOTBALL: Western Sydney Wanderers star Keanu Baccus came off the bench in Australia’s 2-0 win over Argentina in the opening game of the Men’s Football tournament last week. The talented midfielder also played 17 minutes in Australia’s 1-0 loss to Spain last Sunday. He was expected to get some game time against Egypt on Wednesday night.

CANOE SLALOM: In his second Olympic campaign, Penrith’s Lucien Delfour has reached the Semi Finals of Men’s Kayak event, which will be held on Friday afternoon in Tokyo.

LOCAL OLYMPIANS STILL TO COME…

DIVING: Penrith-born diver Melissa Wu will aim for Gold in the Women’s 10m Platform event this Wednesday, August 4 from 4pm. The Final will be held on Thursday afternoon.

RUGBY SEVENS: Jamisontown’s Madison Ashby made her Olympic debut on Thursday when she played a role in Australia’s matches against host nation Japan and China. The 20-year-old will next take the field at 11.30am on Friday.

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Smiling Fox

NATHAN TAYLOR

It may not be the colour she wanted or perhaps deserved, but Leonay’s Jessica Fox has added to her growing Olympic medal tally with Bronze in the Women’s Kayak at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 27-year-old multiple World Champion tried her heart out late Tuesday afternoon but unfortunately suffered a pair of two-second penalties during her run, which ultimately cost her victory.

Germany’s Ricarda Funk took home Gold after an impressive run of 105.50 seconds on the Tokyo course. Spain’s Maialen Chourraut was second in 106.63 seconds, while Fox recorded a time of 106.73 seconds.

After finishing first in the Semi Final, Fox was the short-priced favourite to win her first Olympic Gold medal after claiming Bronze in the event in 2016 and Silver in 2012.

Speaking to Channel Seven after the Medal Ceremony, Fox said despite being frustrated with herself, she was immensely proud to collect another Olympic medal.

“It’s special to win a third Olympic medal and obviously I was dreaming of that Gold medal but a mistake at one of the last gates cost me and that’s probably where the tears

came from [after the race], a bit of frustration,” she admitted. “At the end of the day, to be r on the podium again is just so a special.” c s n ut d y d n ut x x st n al d o al d s s came from [after the race], a bit of frustration,” she admitted. “At the end of the day, to be on the podium again is just so special.”

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Jessica Fox claimed her third Olympic medal when she finished third in the K1.

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